Automated door assembly system and method

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to a method of making a door having first and second door facings and an internal doorframe. An interior side of a first facing is coated with quick acting adhesive. A frame is placed on the coated interior side about the periphery of the first facing. The frame is then coated with quick acting adhesive. An interior side of a second facing is placed on the coated frame. The facings and frame assembly are then compressed to form a door. The present invention also provides for an automated system of making the door.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION AND CLAIM TO PRIORITY

This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 13/407,281,filed on Feb. 28, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,991,462, which is acontinuation of application Ser. No. 12/910,975, filed on Oct. 25, 2010,now U.S. Pat. No. 8,123,895, which is a divisional of application Ser.No. 10/941,016, filed on Sep. 15, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,819,163,which claims priority to provisional application Ser. No. 60/502,982,filed Sep. 16, 2003, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein byreference and to which priority is claimed.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a method of making a door havingfirst and second door facings and an internal doorframe. An interiorside of the first facing is coated with quick acting adhesive. The frameis placed on the coated interior side about the periphery of the firstfacing. The frame is then coated with quick acting adhesive. An interiorside of the second facing is placed on the coated frame. The facing andframe assembly are then compressed to form a door. The present inventionalso provides for an automated system of making the door.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Molded doors are assembled using two door facings, often molded from awood fiber/resin compound. The door facings form the outer surfaces ofthe door. Such doors often include an internal frame that providesstructural support. The frame typically includes stiles and railslocated around the perimeter of the door. The door may also include acore material, such as expandable cardboard material, particleboard,medium density fiberboard, or other some other one-piece core component.

Manual assembly of molded doors is relatively labor intensive,expensive, and subject to quality variations. A door facing is manuallyplaced on a production table with its intended, exteriorly disposedsurface face down. The parts of a frame, comprising individual stilesand rails, are then passed through a roll coater by hand. The rollcoater applies conventional glue to opposing sides of the frame parts.The coated frame parts are then placed on top of the door facing that ison the table. A second door facing is then placed on the frame parts.The resulting assembly is then indexed downwardly so that another doormay be assembled. The assembly must be carefully moved, given thecomponents can easily shift at this point.

Manual assembly of the next molded door is repeated as described above,with each successive assembly being stacked on top of the previousassembly until a predetermined quantity of door assemblies has beenstacked on the table. The table of door assemblies is then transportedto a press, and the stack is placed in the press. The press appliespressure to the entire stack for a period of time sufficient to allowthe glue to sufficiently bond the door assemblies. Conventional gluesmay take about one hour or more in-press before the door reaches “green”strength. A door achieves green strength when the glue has reachedsufficient bonding strength to hold the door components together forfurther handling. Once green strength is achieved, the doors may beremoved from the press and moved to an in-process inventory until theglue reaches maximum cure strength. Depending on the glue used, thedoors may need to remain in inventory for a relatively long period oftime, for example four hours or more, or even twenty-four hours or more,before the glue reaches maximum bonding strength. After maximum bondingstrength is achieved, the doors are moved to a final processing station.Final processing includes edge trimming the doors to customerspecification and coating and/or painting the door skins and exposededges of the stiles and rails around each door perimeter. Therefore,manufacturing time for a door using conventional methods may betwenty-four hours or more, from the time production is initiated to theresulting finished door.

Various attempts have been made to automate production of interiormolded doors. However, the production equipment necessary is often veryexpensive, and the methods used overly complex. Production capabilityfrom a single manufacturing facility is often limited. In addition, theglues used typically require curing presses, which are relativelyexpensive. Furthermore, such glues require a relatively long period oftime before green strength is achieved, as well as a relatively longperiod of time before maximum cure strength is achieved, which isimpractical in an automated production system.

As such, conventional systems and methods for automated door assemblyhave not proven to be cost efficient. Therefore, there is a need for anautomated door assembly system and method that is cost efficient, andthat achieves final product quality that is desirable to consumers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a method of making a door. Aninterior side of a first facing is coated with quick acting adhesive. Adoorframe is placed on the coated interior side about the periphery ofthe first facing. The frame is then coated with quick acting adhesive.An interior side of a second facing is placed on the coated frame. Thefacings and frame are compressed, thereby forming a door.

The present invention is also directed to a system for making a door.The system includes first and second stations, each for receiving aplurality of door facings. A conveyor operably associated with the firststation receives and transports in a first direction an exterior surfaceof a door facing. A third station operably associated with the conveyorapplies quick acting adhesive on an interior surface of the door facing.A fourth station operably associated with the conveyor positions adoorframe onto the adhesive covered interior surface of the door facing.A fifth station operably associated with the conveyor applies quickacting adhesive on the doorframe. A transfer mechanism operablyassociated with the second station positions an interior surface of afacing from the second station onto the adhesive covered doorframe. Acompression station operably associated with the conveyor compresses thefacings and the doorframe, thereby forming a door.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a system for making a door according toa preferred facility layout of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a portion of the facility layout ofFIG. 1 taken along line 2-2 and viewed in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of a portion of the facility layout ofFIG. 1 taken along line 3-3 and viewed in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a portion of the facility layout ofFIG. 1 taken along line 4-4 and viewed in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a portion of the facility layout ofFIG. 1 taken along line 5-5 and viewed in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a portion of the facility layout ofFIG. 1 taken along line 6-6 and viewed in the direction of the arrows;and

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a portion of the facility layout ofFIG. 1 taken along line 7-7 and viewed in the direction of the arrows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A preferred facility layout of a system S for making doors according tothe present invention is best shown in FIG. 1. System S includes aloading station 10 for receiving door facings. Pallet loads of doorfacings may be transported to loading station 10 by fork truck. Forexample, each pallet load may include 200 door facings. From loadingstation 10, pallets may be transported to a distribution station 12 viaa loading conveyor 14.

From distribution station 12, pallets are transported to either a firststation 16 for processing a first door facing F1 of a door beingmanufactured, or a second station 18 for processing a second door facingF2 on the opposing side of the door. Preferably, the first three palletsof door facings received at distribution station 12 are directed tofirst station 16. The next three pallets of door facings received atdistribution station 12 are directed to second station 18. Door facingsF1, F2 may be made from a wood fiber composite, hardboard, steel,polymer and like materials used to manufacture door skins. Preferably,door facings F1, F2 are contoured, although flush doors may bemanufactured through use of system S.

As best shown in FIG. 2, pallets of door facings F1 may be transportedfrom distribution station 12 to a receiving port 20 of first station 16via a first station conveyor 22. From receiving port 20, each doorfacing F1 is transported to a feed port 24 of first station 16.Preferably, a gantry device G1 using a suction or vacuum mechanism liftsone facing F1 from the pallet at receiving port 20, transports facing F1to feed port 24, and places facing F1 thereon. Gantry device G may movealong rails R for transporting facing F1.

An optical sensor O1 is preferably associated with receiving port 20 forsensing when a pallet received therein is empty. When the sensor sensesan empty pallet, the empty pallet is moved onto a first station palletconveyor 26, as best shown in FIG. 1. Empty pallets may be pushed ontopallet conveyor 26 using an actuator. The empty pallets are transportedto a pallet storage port 27. Another full pallet is then forwarded intoposition from distribution station 12 to receiving port 20 via firststation conveyor 22.

Data from optical sensor O1 in receiving port 20 is preferablycommunicated to distribution station 12. Once an empty pallet isdischarged from receiving port 20, and moved out of first station 16 viapallet conveyor 26, distribution center 12 automatically forwards thenext pallet into position in first station 16. Alternatively, the timingand rate of door skin depletion at first and second stations 16, 18 maybe controlled by a programmable logic controller (“PLC”). Distributionstation 12 may coordinate distribution of pallets according to adetermined rate of depletion of pallets at first and second stations 16,18.

Although FIG. 2 depicts one stack of pallets in loading station 10, onestack of pallets in distribution station 12, and one stack of pallets inreceiving port 20, system S may accommodate additional stacks ofpallets. For example, loading conveyor 14 and/or first station conveyor22 may be extended in length to accommodate more than one stack ofpallets. As such, FIG. 2 is provided for purposes of explanation only,and the invention is not so limited. The precise configuration of systemS may also depend on the specific requirements of a manufacturingfacility and/or available space. However, first and second stations 16,18 preferably can hold a combined minimum of at least six pallets.

From feed port 24, door facing F1 is transported to a third station 28,where door facing F1 is coated with a quick acting adhesive, as bestshown in FIG. 1. Preferably, feed port 24 is operably associated with astar conveyor 30, which places facings F1 onto a production conveyor 32leading to third station 28. Star conveyor 30 includes openings 31defined by cooperating supports, or wickets 30A, for receiving andholding door facings F1 from feed port 24, as best shown in FIG. 2.Wickets 30A extend outwardly from a central member 30B like spokes on awheel. Each wicket 30A includes a planar member 30C extending outwardlyfrom central member 30B. A leg 30D extends substantially perpendicularto the planar member 30C at the outermost end of each wicket relative tocentral member 30B. Legs 30D extend outwardly from planar member 30C inthe direction of rotation of star conveyor 30, as shown by arrow R inFIG. 2.

Feed port 24 is preferably a conveyor that moves facings F1 intoopenings 31 of star conveyor 30. Feed port 24 transports one facing F1into an opening 31. Facing F1 is thereby pushed into opening 31 untilthe forwardly moving edge of facing F1 contacts central member 30B. Oncea facing F1 has indexed into opening 31, star conveyor 30 rotatesseveral degrees, thereby rotating facing F1. The next adjacent opening31 is thereby ready to receive the next facing F1 from feed port 24.

Legs 30D on wickets 30A keep facings F1 from sliding off of planarmembers 30C. However, facings F1 are not clamped into star conveyor 30.Therefore, as star conveyor 30 rotates, each facing eventually fallsforward in direction R onto the forwardly disposed, adjacent planarmember 30C of wicket 30A due to gravity. Typically, each facing F1 willfall forward after having been rotated 90° or more by star conveyor 30.Star conveyor 30 continues to rotate each facing F1 about 180°. Eachfacing F1 then slides off the wicket 30A onto production conveyor 32when wicket 30A is downwardly sloped relative to central member 30B.Tangential forces created during rotation of facing F1 also cause facingF1 to slide onto production conveyor 32.

Preferably, a door facing F1 is indexed from feed port 24 into anopening 31 every 10 to 12 seconds. More preferably, star conveyor 30includes twenty openings 31 and holds 10 facings F1, with wickets 30Arotating 18° every three seconds. The conveyor of feed port 24 andproduction conveyor 32 are positioned so that ten openings are above theconveyors and ten openings are below the conveyors. After ten openings(or ½ of the openings) have received door facings F1, a door facing F1is released onto production conveyor 32 with each successive rotation ofstar conveyor 30. This, in turn, moves one of the empty openings intoposition adjacent feed port 24, and another facing F1 indexes into acorresponding opening 31.

Door facings F1 are thereby “flipped” onto production conveyor 32 fromfeed port 24. Typically, door facings are stacked on a pallet with theintended interior surface of each door facing stacked on top of theintended exterior surface of the next facing in the stack. However, doorfacing F1 is placed onto production conveyor 32 so that the intendedinterior surface of each facing F1 is “face up”, with the intendedexterior surface of facing F1 placed against production conveyor 32. Inthis way, the intended interior surface of door facing F1 is exposed forcoating at third station 28.

Preferably, the quick acting adhesive applied at third station 28 is ahot melt, polyurethane reactive (PUR) adhesive. However, other quickacting adhesives known in the art may also be used. The adhesive may beheated for application, and sprayed onto the interior surface of eachfacing F1 by spray headers. The spray headers may include multiple spraynozzles, which apply an even coat of adhesive on the entire surface.Alternatively, the spray headers may be adjusted for selectively coatingportions of the interior surface. The width and thickness of theadhesive applied may also be adjusted depending on the desired amount ofadhesive and/or the width of the door being assembled. Depending on thespecific formulation of the adhesive, it has an “open time” in whichcomponents can be moved around prior to the glue achieving hardeningstrength. These open times can vary from less than a minute to severalhours. However, the quick-acting adhesive has sufficient tackiness sothat the components do not shift as the components proceed in themanufacturing process.

After the adhesive has been applied to the interior surface of doorfacing F1, door facing F1 is transported via production conveyor 32 fromthird station 28 to a fourth station 34, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.At fourth station 34, stiles and rails are positioned onto the adhesivecovered interior surface of door facing F1. Preferably, the stiles andrails are pre-assembled as a perimeter frame P. Fourth station 34includes a fourth station conveyor 36 and a lifting gantry G2. Palletsof frames P move along conveyor 36 into a receiving port 38 of fourthstation 34, wherein each frame P is lifted and placed onto acorresponding facing F1 by gantry G2. Preferably, lifting gantry G2includes clamp-type “fingers” for lifting and moving each frame P intoposition. The pallets of frames P may be supplied to fourth station 34by fork truck.

Fourth station 34 preferably includes optical sensors O2 for ensuringproper positioning and alignment of each perimeter frame P onto theadhesive covered interior surface of door facing F1. The optical sensorsindicate when each door facing F1 is moving into fourth station 34 viaproduction conveyor 32. Alternatively, fourth station 34 may include amechanical limit switch for ensuring proper positioning of frame P onfacing F1. At that time, mechanical stops elevate into position to stopmovement of facing F1, and hold facing F1 in the proper position forsecuring the frame thereto. After frame P has been positioned ontofacing F1, the mechanical stops lower and allow facing F1 to proceedalong production conveyor 32.

As best shown in FIG. 1, after all of the frames P from a pallet havebeen used, the empty pallet is moved from receiving port 38 to a fourthstation empty pallet stacker 40. An optical sensor O3 senses when thepallet in receiving port 38 is empty. The empty pallet is then removedfrom receiving port 38 via automatic forks similar to those used on forktrucks. The forks engage the pallet and a lifting device elevates thepallet a sufficient distance to allow clearance for the next emptypallet to be placed in the same position, for example the forks may liftthe empty pallet several inches. When the next pallet is sensed to be inposition by an optical sensor, the lifting device lowers the firstpallet on top of the second pallet. The forks retract, and the liftingdevice is lowered to the original position, whereby the forks can nowindex into the second pallet. The stack of two pallets is then lifted toprovide clearance for the arrival of the next pallet. This process isrepeated until a full stack of empty pallet is achieved, for example 20pallets. The stack of empty pallets may then be removed by fork truck.

If a solid core door is desired, system S may include a fifth station 42where a core component C is positioned onto the adhesive coveredinterior surface of door facing F1, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. Itshould be understood, however, that fifth station 42 is optional, andsystem S may be configured for manufacturing coreless doors. Similar tofourth station 34, fifth station 42 includes a conveyor 44, whichtransports pallets of core components C to a receiving port 46. Eachcomponent C is then lifted and placed onto the adhesive covered interiorsurface of facing F1 via a gantry device G3. Gantry device G3 may besimilar to gantry device G1 from first station 16, which has a suctionmechanism for lifting and transporting each core C into position.Alternatively, gantry device G3 may have clamp-type fingers, similar togantry device G2 from fourth station 34. Pallets of core components Cmay be supplied to fifth station 42 by fork truck. The core componentsmay be made from cardboard, medium density fiberboard, and the like. Thefiberboard may be either routed or molded to fit the contours of facingsF1, F2. A preferred core component C is made from an expanded,honeycomb-type cardboard, given such material is relatively inexpensive.

As best shown in FIG. 1, after all of the core components C from apallet have been used, the empty pallet is moved from receiving port 46to a fifth station empty pallet stacker 48, which is similar to emptypallet stacker 40 from fourth station 34.

After core component C is placed onto adhesive covered interior surfaceof facing F1, door facing F1 is then transported to a sixth station 50via production conveyor 32, as best shown in FIG. 1. The upwardly facingsurfaces of perimeter frame P and core C, relative to productionconveyor 32, are coated or sprayed with quick acting adhesive at sixthstation 50. Preferably, a hot melt (PUR) adhesive is used, as describedabove. The hot melt adhesive applied at sixth station 50 is preferably,but need not be, the same quick acting adhesive applied at third station28. The adhesive is preferably applied using spray headers, but may alsobe applied by roll coating or other such application methods. Portionsof the perimeter frame P and/or core C may be selectively coated byadjusting the spray headers or other coating device used for applyingthe adhesive. For example, if a core component is not used in themanufacturing process, third and sixth stations 28, 50 may be adjustedto selective coat or spray around the perimeter of the interior surfaceof door facing F1 and the perimeter frame P, respectively.

After hot melt (PUR) adhesive has been applied at sixth station 50,second door facing F2 may be placed onto the adhesive covered frame Pand core C. Second door facings F2 are transported from distributionstation 12 to second station 18 via a second station conveyor 51. Atransfer mechanism 52 is provided, which transports and positions eachfacing F2 from second station 18 onto the adhesive covered frame P andcore component C. Transfer mechanism 52 preferably includes a transferconveyor 54 for transporting pallets of facings F2 from second station18 to a gantry device. As described above, pallets of facings F2 areforwarded via conveyor 54 to a transfer receiving port 56. Each facingF2 is then lifted and placed onto adhesive covered surface of frame Pvia gantry G4. Gantry G4 may be similar to the gantry used at firststation 16, and includes vacuum cups that suction to each door facing F2when moving each door facing F2 into position. Preferably, opticalsensors O4 are provided for ensuring proper positioning and alignment ofthe intended interior surface of facing F2 onto adhesive covered frameP, as described above for fourth station 34.

Once all of the second door facings F2 are used from a pallet intransfer receiving port 56, empty pallets are removed via a transferconveyor 55, and may be stored in an empty pallet storage port 57,similar to empty pallet port 27. The two empty pallet ports may beoperatively connected via a conveyor, so that empty pallets may beeasily removed from one empty pallet port 27 by fork truck.

After door facings F1, F2, and frame P and core C have been assembled,the resulting assembly is transported via production conveyor 32 to acompression station 58, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. Facings F1, F2,frame P and core C are compressed to form a door D. Compression station58 preferably includes a series of pinch rollers 60 for compressingfacings F1, F2 and the frame. Pinch rollers 60 provide sufficientcompression for curing hot melt (PUR) adhesive, and are relativelyinexpensive compared to presses required for “cold” adhesive curing.Pinch rollers 60 force door facings F1, F2 against the interiorcomponents (i.e. frame P and core C). Upon exiting pinch rollers 60, thequick acting adhesive securing the components of door D has alreadyachieved green strength. Preferably, production conveyor 32 moves door Dthrough compression station 58 at a rate of about 175 feet per minute.Thus, door D undergoes compression by pinch rollers 60 for only a fewseconds, preferably twelve seconds or less. By contrast, conventionalpresses typically require a compression period of forty-five minutes ormore before green strength is reached.

Exiting pinch rollers 60, each door D is successively stacked on apallet at a stacking station 62, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. Doors Dare stacked on a pallet until a predetermined number of doors hasaccumulated thereon, for example forty doors per pallet. Each door isremoved from production conveyor 32 and stacked onto a pallet via agantry G5, which is similar to the other gantries described above.Stacking station 62 may include an optical sensor O5 for indicating whena pallet is full. A full pallet of finished doors is then transportedvia a stacking conveyor 64 to an in-process storage area for stack downtime. Preferably, a stack down time of at least about thirty minutes isallowed so that sufficient adhesive strength is achieved before finalprocessing of the doors D. Preferably, the quick acting adhesive reachesabout 75% final cure strength, more preferably about 95% cure strength,during a stack down time of one hour or less. By contrast, conventionalsystems typically require a stack down time of between at least 4-24hours or more before final processing may be initiated. Final processingmay include edge trimming to customer specifications and/or coating theexposed edges of the frame with a protective coating or paint.

Empty pallets are supplied to stacking station 62 via a pallet station66, as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 7. A stack of empty pallets is receivedat a pallet receiving port 68, unstacked via automatic forks asdescribed above, and forwarded via a pallet station conveyor 70. Singleempty pallets E are thereby staged to accept finished doors.

The process time, from application of adhesive at third station 28 tothe compressed door D, is approximately one minute. Door D may then befinally processed after about one hour of stack down time, morepreferably after about thirty minutes of stack down time. Preferably, nostep in the production process (aside from stack down time) takes longerthan twelve seconds. As such five doors per minute, or 300 doors perhour, can be produced by system S. More than 2000 doors per eight-hourshift may easily be produced with relatively low labor costs. Forexample, operation of system S may be achieved with two fork truckoperators and one roving operator. Thus, substantial savings in laborcost are realized. In addition, the hot melt (PUR) technology and pinchrollers 60 provide additional savings because conventional presses,required for conventional cold adhesive formulations, are relativelyexpensive. For example, an automated production line making 300 doorsper hour using cold adhesive technology would require at least sixconventional presses to achieve comparable assembly rates.

Preferably, system S can hold at least about one hour's worth ofcomponents (door facings F1, F2, frames P and core components C). Forexample, each pallet load of door facings received at first and secondstations 16, 18 may comprise 200 facings.

The present invention is also directed to a method of making a doorusing system S described above. A first door facing F1 and a second doorfacing F2 are provided. An interior side of the first facing F1 is thencoated with quick acting adhesive. Preferably, a hot melt (PUR) adhesiveis sprayed on the interior side of first facing F1. Portions of theinterior side of the first facing F1 may also be selectively coated withthe adhesive. A frame is placed on the coated interior side about theperiphery of the first door facing F1. A core component may also beplaced on the coated interior side of the first door facing F1. Theframe (and core) is coated with quick acting adhesive, preferably thesame type of hot melt (PUR) adhesive used during the first application.An interior side of the second door facing F2 is placed onto theadhesive coated frame. The assembly is then compressed to form a door.

It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that variousmodifications and variations can be made in construction orconfiguration of the present invention without departing from the scopeor spirit of the present invention. Thus, it is intended that thepresent invention include all such modifications and variations,provided they come within the scope of the following claims and theirequivalents.

I claim as follows:
 1. A process for making doors, comprising the stepsof: a) removing a first door skin from a first plurality of stacked doorskins having respective first exterior surfaces disposed face up andrespective first interior surfaces disposed face down; b) flipping thefirst door skin; c) applying adhesive on at least a portion of theface-up first interior surface of the first door skin; d) positioning adoor frame onto the adhesive applied face-up first interior surface; e)applying adhesive on at least a portion of an upwardly facing surface ofthe door frame; f) removing a second door skin from a second pluralityof stacked door skins having respective second exterior surfacesdisposed face up and respective second interior surfaces disposed facedown; g) positioning the face-down interior surface of the second doorskin in contact with the adhesive applied upwardly facing surface of thedoor frame to form a door assembly; and h) compressing the doorassembly.
 2. The process of claim 1, wherein steps a) to h) areperformed at different stations.
 3. The process of claim 1, whereinsteps c) or e) is accomplished by a spray coater or a roll coater. 4.The process of claim 1, wherein the adhesive sets in step h).
 5. Theprocess of claim 1, wherein steps a) and f) are accomplished by a firstvacuum gantry and a second vacuum gantry, respectively.
 6. The processof claim 1, further comprising the steps of i) trimming an edge of thedoor assembly; and j) applying a coating to the exposed edges of theframe.
 7. The process of claim 1, wherein step c) is accomplished bycoating the face-up first interior surface of the first door skin with aspray coater having multiple spray nozzles that apply a uniform coat ofquick acting adhesive to the interior surface of the first door skin. 8.The process of claim 1, wherein the first plurality of stacked doorskins are stacked on a first pallet and the second plurality of stackeddoor skins are stacked on a second pallet.
 9. The process of claim 8,wherein said process further comprises the steps of repeating said stepa) until the first pallet is empty and automatically sensing when thefirst pallet of is empty and removing the empty first pallet.
 10. Aprocess for making doors, comprising the steps of: a) removing a firstdoor skin from a first plurality of stacked door skins having respectivefirst exterior surfaces disposed face up and respective first interiorsurfaces disposed face down; b) flipping the first door skin; c)applying adhesive on at least a portion of the face-up first interiorsurface of the first door skin; d) positioning a door frame and a corecomponent onto the adhesive applied face-up first interior surface; e)applying adhesive on at least a portion of upwardly facing surfaces ofthe door frame and of the core component; f) removing a second door skinfrom a second plurality of stacked door skins having respective secondexterior surfaces disposed face up and respective second interiorsurfaces disposed face down; g) positioning the face-down interiorsurface of the second door skin in contact with the adhesive appliedupwardly facing surfaces of the door frame and of the core component toform a door assembly; and h) compressing the door assembly.
 11. Theprocess of claim 10, wherein steps a) to h) are performed at differentstations.
 12. The process of claim 10, wherein steps c) or e) isaccomplished by a spray coater or a roll coater.
 13. The process ofclaim 10, wherein the adhesive sets in step h).
 14. The process of claim10, wherein steps a) and f) are accomplished by a first vacuum gantryand a second vacuum gantry, respectively.
 15. The process of claim 10,further comprising the steps of i) trimming an edge of the doorassembly; and j) applying a coating to the exposed edges of the frame.16. The process of claim 10, wherein step c) is accomplished by coatingthe face-up first interior surface of the first door skin with a spraycoater having multiple spray nozzles that apply a uniform coat of quickacting adhesive to the interior surface of the first door skin.
 17. Theprocess of claim 10, wherein the first plurality of stacked door skinsare stacked on a first pallet and the second plurality of stacked doorskins are stacked on a second pallet.
 18. The process of claim 17,wherein said process further comprises the steps of repeating said stepa) until the first pallet is empty and automatically sensing when thefirst pallet is empty and removing the empty first pallet.